


The Sights of Port Kaiso

by Azhwi, LosttotheHoping



Series: The Convict and the Heiress [2]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Medieval, F/M, Flirting, Princess Hinata, port town
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-12-02
Updated: 2013-12-02
Packaged: 2018-01-01 06:10:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,856
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1041295
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azhwi/pseuds/Azhwi, https://archiveofourown.org/users/LosttotheHoping/pseuds/LosttotheHoping
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Life on the road has been interesting: the wife is amusing, but her friend is a pain. However, Hidan's got a reason for the trip, and no matter how many times Hinata lets a trinket catch her eye, he's determined to stay on track. </p><p>... Wait. What do you mean someone <em>gifted</em> her?</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Sights of Port Kaiso

**Author's Note:**

> We just couldn't leave our _only_ finished story alone. It had to continue. I demanded it.  
>  Good thing Lost is obliging!

Between the city of Koma—second largest to Konoha, the capital of Hi no Kuni—and the seaside port town of Kaiso, the trio had plenty of time to get to know each other. Whether they liked it or not.

Hidan took every opportunity he could get to say things that made Hinata blush. Tenten adored punching him in the face. Somehow, she’d not managed to get his nose yet. Hinata stopped into every single tourist shop they came across. Which _wouldn’t_ have annoyed Hidan so much if she bought things, but she only seemed to want to _gawk_ at everything.

No, actually, nevermind. It was kind of cute. Especially since now she was exclaiming over some sort of octopus-shaped hair... _thing_.

Hold on... Did he just think ‘cute’? Man, he needed to get laid.

And there went Hinata, tearing off to the next shop, Tenten following behind with an amused smirk. Grimacing, he hurried after them, brow twitching slightly.

“Oy, didn’t you say you were _hungry_ or something?” he complained once he’d caught up.

Tenten snorted. “What’s wrong, Hidan? Getting _tired_?”

He scowled back at her. _Really shouldn’t have agreed to this shit. Why did I, again?_

“Hidan!” came the call from somewhere inside the shop. “Is this _real_?”

The albino blinked and sidestepped his current nemesis, walking over to where Hinata was staring at a crimson bird in a large cage. He blinked at the sign, which declared it a “rare Western Phoenix”. He then glanced at the vendor, whom was catering to the whim of another customer.

And snorted. “No. Phoenixes are bigger. And extinct.” Pause. “I think.”

Tenten joined them, brows lifting. “Have you ever _seen_ a phoenix, Mr. Know-it-all?”

“Yes!” he snapped, pouting. “Of course I have!”

“Uh huh. Where?”

“Well. Sort of...”

“...”

“... bones in someone’s collection...”

“You’re a fucking nitwit,” Tenten muttered.

Hinata turned and looked at her friend askance. “What does that even mean, ‘nitwit’?”

The weapons mistress shrugged. “It means your fiance is a gullible idiot,” she replied. “And he has no idea what he’s talking about.”

“Oh shut the fuck up,” the albino in question groused. “C’mon, let’s go to a goddamn tavern and get something to eat already. I’m fucking starving my ass off. Seriously.”

The low rumbling stomach growl from the innocent of the group had both the others turning. “I’m hungry too,” Hinata said, ducking her head. “Lunch sounds wonderful.”

Lighting up, the ex-prisoner held out his arm for her to take. “Well c’mon, then, sexy. My treat,” he said flirtatiously.

Tenten snorted. “Thanks, Hidan. You’re such a _nice guy_.”

“Wait, I—”

“Isn’t he, Hinata? Offering to pay for our lunch!” Tenten winked at him, getting an annoyed glower in return.

It was only because Hinata already had her arm threaded through his, that Hidan felt the Hyuuga twitch. “Yes, he can be nice... Now move, Tenten, you’re in the way of food.”

The weapons mistress held up her hands in surrender and turned, leading the way through the mid-day crowds. Roughly ten minutes later, the girls were settling at the corner most table of a decently kept tavern near the middle of the port city. Hidan left them be to go fetch food from the front.

“So?” Tenten asked, grinning at her friend. “You seem to be having fun.”

Quirking a brow, the other girl swallowed the bite of bread she had grabbed the moment they had sat down. “I’m not the only one,” she replied with a tilt of her head. “I can’t tell if you’re honestly enjoying his company or trying to drive him away.”

The brunette shrugged. “If he can’t deal with my nagging, he’s not good enough for you,” she replied frankly. “Call it a test, if you want. Though...” She offered a mischievous smile. “I can’t deny that it’s increasingly entertaining to pester the crap out of him.”

“Hmm. Do you think he truly wishes to marry me?” Hinata asked, frowning. “Since the first day, he hasn’t mentioned it. This trip feels less about an engaged couple and more just me seeing the world.”

Tenten blinked and tilted her head. That was _her_ reasoning for having Hinata along, but... Her gaze shifted beyond the younger girl, towards Hidan at the bar. He appeared to be arguing with the man behind it. “I don’t know,” she admitted finally, brow furrowing. “I honestly don’t know _what_ he wants.” She shrugged. “Ask him?”

“You’re jesting, right?” Hinata waved the bread stick at her. “He’s been wanting me in his bedroll since we left father’s territory. That part has been clear. And if I do ask if he wants to marry... and he gives me an answer...” She shook her head, brow wrinkling. “I’m still not sure which one I’m hoping for.”

Sitting back in her seat, the weapons mistress nodded. “I understand. How about you use this as a chance to get to know him, huh?” she suggested. “Maybe, after you do, you’ll know which you want, and after that...” She waved a hand in a vague gesture. “Then you decide what to do.”

The Hyuuga sighed. “I used to be responsible for the castle staff’s schedules: where they slept, when they ate, what tasks they had. Besides that, I had my own chores, lessons, appearances, needs. Hanabi also needed managing, and it fell to me. All of that seems simple in comparison to understanding what goes on in Hidan’s head,” she finished, with a grumble.

Her friend chuckled, even as Hidan returned. “Welcome back. Where’s my food?” she asked.

The albino frowned at her and plopped the tray in his hands down, even as a lad followed him with three mugs. “Here,” he said flatly. “Thanks, kid.”

The boy nodded and turned to go, but paused when Hidan grabbed his arm. The older male dropped a couple coins in the delighted lad’s hand, waving him off, and finally sat. “Uhg. That man gets grouchier every time I talk to him.”

Hinata was lifting the lid on one of the covered dishes, and peering down into the heavy clay bowl. “Some kind of fish stew?” she asked, pulling the lid off completely. “Are they all the same?”

“Uh huh,” Hidan said, already digging into his own. “What do you expect? It’s a sea port.”

Tenten rolled her eyes and grimaced as a small fight broke out on the other side of the room, closer to the bar. It didn’t last long before one of the bystanders broke it up and dragged both fighters to the door. The woman didn’t bother watching as they were tossed out, and opened her own food. Sniffed. “I almost forgot why I don’t go to sea ports. I really don’t like fish.”

Looking over, Hinata smiled. “You don’t like fish hot pots, but you loved the raw dishes Father likes to have.” She reached for a spoon and took a bite. “It’s really not that bad.”

“If you say so,” the older woman muttered, giving her friend a dubious look. But she swallowed any further protests and dug in—it wasn’t bad, but she probably wasn’t going to finish the bowl.

She also refrained from looking at their male companion, who was in the middle of making a pig out of himself.

xXx

The absolute wonderful thing about being a big, blue, scary motherfucker, was that Kisame could kick back, on his own private dock, and fish in the middle of the day. It didn’t mean that he would get a bite every minute, but at least he didn’t have other people to compete with.

And since he made his living on something other than the fruits of the sea, he really didn’t care if he only had maybe three or four fish to his name at the end of the day. Just as long as he had something to eat for dinner.

At the moment, he was up to two.

Kisame reached down, and lifted a bottle of ale that he kept by his chair. Yeah... this was the life.

As footsteps came clomping up the dock, Sharky took a swig. _Though, maybe I should switch to spearfishing._

“Oy, Kisame,” a voice barked. “You’re gonna scare all the fucking fish away with a mug like that.”

The shark-like man could almost _feel_ the fish under the dock flee the immediate area. “Well, I’ve been catching blind ones then,” he called back, pulling in his line. Rising to his feet, Kisame canted his head and grinned. “Hidan, you here for a love tap?”

Grinning, the albino drew to a stop about ten feet away and shrugged. “Nope. Wasn’t in the plans,” he replied.

“Good enough,” Kisame replied, waving him closer. “Take a seat, shut up, and I might be able to get us both dinner. There’s another bottle of rum on the string if you want.” He pointed down at a red cord that hung off the side of the planks as he sat back down.

The shorter male grimaced and rubbed a hand through his hair. “Sorry. Can’t. I have a party to get back to. I just need some information, and I’m willing to pay.”

By the time the albino was finished, Kisame had twisted around, his eyebrows nearly meeting his hairline. “You’re refusing alcohol and you’re travelling with someone... some _people_. And I have knowledge that you’re actually going to give _me_ money for?” Sharky shook his head. “There are so many words there that are so wrong. What the hell happened to you?”

“Prison,” Hidan replied flatly. “You willing to fucking deal or what?”

Snorting, Kisame turned back to face the water and pointed at the planks beside him. “Sit down, take a swig, ask the goddamn question and then I’ll answer.”

Hidan scoffed but took a seat beside the big blue man, snatching up the booze. He gave it a sniff before gleefully partaking. A moment later, it was set down with a clunk. “I need to know where I can find Pein.”

Kisame hummed, frowning. “He moved recently,” he muttered, casting out his line. The two men watched the lure hit the surface several yards out. “One of his fresh hires was caught; he couldn’t risk being found. Only reason why I know is because last time I swung by for payment, he wasn’t there.” He grunted at the memory. “Had to pry my gold from Pein’s banker, a nasty fucker called Kakuzu.”

“Where can I find this bastard, then?” the albino asked, leaning back on his hands.

“Kakuzu? Probably right where Pein left him.” The blue man shrugged. “With all of Pein’s loose ends looking for payment or jobs, the greedy bitch is probably pulling in the coin just doing what he does best. _He’s_ the man to pay for information.” Kisame gave Hidan a pointed look. “Me, I won’t charge you anything more than the time it takes to talk to you, but he’ll ask for your arm’s worth in diamonds for anything about Pein.”

Hidan grimaced. “That just fucking figures,” he grumbled. “Where can I find him?”

Making a disgusted sound, Kisame shook his head. “Sorry, forgot you’re not one of Pein’s regulars. Kakuzu is over in Ame.” He paused and held up a hand before Hidan could move. “You’re gonna have to play at being decent,” he warned, “because their border guards are born with dirks up their asses. Once you get in, ask around for the Gander. There’s only one place called that in the entire country, and it’s his spot of business.”

The albino smirked as he climbed to his feet. “Alright, thanks,” he said, and turned on his heel. “See you ‘round, then.”

“Mhmm, good to see you too, Hidan.” Kisame called out as Hidan’s steps reached the end of the pier. “Next time, bring the ladies. Might balance out your tongue.”

The footsteps stopped, and there was silence for a moment. Finally, Hidan just grunted and continued walking away.

Snickering, Kisame made a mental note to give one of the day’s catch to the barkeep. Anything that silenced the loud-mouthed idiot deserved its reward.

 _I wonder if Pein gets a cut of Kakuzu’s profit_? Hmmm...

xXx

“I hope he doesn’t take much longer,” Tenten muttered as the sun started to fall. “We should probably look into getting a room for the night, Hinata. It’s best not to lurk after dark in this city.”

Nodding, the Hyuuga put down the sculpture made of woven ivory and moved with her friend to the entrance. “Maybe at the same place we had lunch? If we room before Hidan finds us, that’s probably where he will look.”

The brunette pushed open the door as she hummed in agreement. “Sounds like a plan,” she said, letting the other female exit first.

Almost as soon as the door was closing behind them, Hidan seemed to materialize from the crowd. “Yo! Didn’t have too much fucking fun without me, did you?” he asked, sidling up next to the Hyuuga.

“N-no...” Hinata flicked her eyes up at him, before stepping sideways... onto Tenten’s foot.

The older female snapped her mouth shut and half cringed, half smirked in Hinata’s direction. She then pulled out of the way, brows lifting. “What? You don’t want to tell him?” she asked innocently.

Hidan looked between the two, suspiciously. “... tell me what?”

“Nothing important,” Hinata muttered, giving Tenten a glare. “I just... well, I bought something, that’s all.”

Tenten grinned unrepentantly. “You mean something was bought _for_ you.”

Crimson eyes had narrowed. “... who? What?”

“Some shop, somewhere,” Hinata replied quickly, waving a hand vaguely at the long stretch of travelling storefronts. “I don’t remember. Maybe it’s damaged. They simply gave it to me.”

“Shop keeper’s son. He was flirting. And eying her,” Tenten tattled, very amused by Hidan’s bristling.

“Which. Shop.”

“Doesn’t matter! Look at the sun! It’s getting dark!” Desperate now, Hinata grabbed her so-called-friend’s hand and pulled in the direction of the tavern. “Don’t we have beds to go to?”

Whispering: “Tenten— _shut up_!”

Tenten grinned as she followed. “What? He’s _jealous_ , Hinata!” she hissed back, and then realized the albino wasn’t following. “Uh oh.”

“I don’t want him jealous, Tenten! He’ll kill the poor boy—And what do you mean ‘uh oh’?” Hinata demanded, turning her head to look. “Oh. Oh _damn_.”

Hidan hadn’t moved from his spot, and was glaring around at the different shops along the lane, practically _vibrating_ with fury. Tenten grimaced. “Guess this means he likes you?” she offered meekly.

Darting her fingers from one earlobe to the next, Hinata scowled. “This is your fault,” she muttered. “Take these back.” A pair of simple pearl earrings were pressed into Tenten’s lax hand. “Or better yet, _you_ keep them.”

“Alright. You make sure he doesn’t decide to interrogate the whole lane? Or follow me,” the weapons mistress instructed, and disappeared into the dwindling crowd.

But not before she heard the Hyuuga sigh and groan, “And how am I supposed to do that?”

Meanwhile, Hidan was indeed contemplating if he could get away with hunting the upstart little fucker down. Teach him why people really shouldn’t eye _Hidan’s_ girl. _Fucking bastard’s **dead**_.

He nearly jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Luckily—for Hinata—he realized who it was before he whipped around and slugged her. “What?” he snapped.

“I returned it,” she said quickly, pulling her hand away. “Didn’t keep it. Like I said, it wasn’t important.”

The albino turned to look at her. “Was it the earrings? They’re gone.”

Her paling face was answer enough. “Y-yes.”

He growled under his breath and stared at her for a beat. Then he twisted to look around them, and finally grabbed her wrist. _Should have brought them with me to see that blue fuck_ , he thought as he dragged her toward the nearest shop. “Pick something.”

“Hidan!” she protested as he loosed her and the only other customer fled in their wake. “You’ve already gotten me something. Two in fact. You don’t have to buy me anything!”

“Pick something,” he repeated, crossing his arms and frowning at her. Like hell he’d let some upstart brat gift her, and not give her something better. “I want to give you a gift. I want you to pick what it is. Or I’ll get you something of my choice. Either way, you’re getting something.”

Biting her lip, Hinata scanned the shelves and table beside them. For a moment, her gaze darted over the merchandise haphazardly, but then it seemed to snag on something. The girl blinked at the display of scarves.

When she seemed to pause thoughtfully, he huffed. “Well?” he demanded impatiently.

“This one,” she replied, stepping forward and pulling out a swath of silk. It fell from her pale fingers like liquid warmth.

He eyed the crimson scarf, and nodded to the vendor. He grimaced at the price rattled off, but tugged out his wallet anyway. “Good. Anything else?”

Shaking her head, Hinata gathered the fabric in her hands. “No, this is all I wanted.”

Relaxing, the albino handed over the money. “Alright.” And glanced around. “Where’d Tenten go?”

Smiling slightly, the girl shrugged. “I told her to go away for a bit.”

“Oh yeah?” He grinned and took a step closer, ignoring the last few people milling about. “Wanted some alone time, eh? Wanna fuck?”

Giving him a hard look, Hinata growled and stepped back further onto the street. “No.” Even as she retreated, he could still see the faint blush. Pale skin was a bitch like that. “Tenten was just not helping.”

“Awww,” he whined, following after her. He couldn’t stifle his grin, though; not that he was trying too hard. “Let’s go wait at the fucking tavern, then.”

Ahead of him, Hinata sputtered. “The tavern is _not_ a brothel! Though, yes, people do _that_ there, I’m sure. But that does not mean... I’m not—Oh. Shut up.”

He was wheezing from laughter by the time the gorgeous girl closed her mouth. “Sorry,” he gasped out after a minute. “Just a habit!”

And then he was catching up with her, one arm wrapping around her shoulders. “Though I’m definitely interested in exploring your theories.”

The Hyuuga gave up on dignity and hid her face in her handful of red silk. “Not talking. To you _or_ Tenten.”

“What about Tenten?” a familiar voice piped up as the weapons mistress approached from their left.

Hidan glanced at her, and frowned at her new necklace. “Changed targets, did he?”

“I wasn’t going to say no,” was the cheeky response.

Under his arm, Hinata lifted her head just enough that her snort was clearly heard. Then she looped the new scarf around her neck and turned her face away from both of them.

Tenten blinked and quirked both brows, even as Hidan steered the dark-haired goddess toward the nearest Inn. “She’s fucking sulking,” he informed tall, leggy and brutish, and got a roll of brown eyes in response.

Hinata, however, jabbed an elbow into his ribs.

He grunted. “Keep this shit up and you’ll get me _excited_ ,” he growled in her ear as they stepped into the Inn.

As Tenten searched for the innkeeper, Hinata turned wide eyes up to him. “You like your women silent and abusive?” she asked him incredulously.

“Uh.” _Blink_. “I like pain? Not so much the silence, though. You have a fucking amazing voice.” He gave her his best roguish grin.

And now she was blinking up at him. “Oh good Lord,” she muttered finally, looking away, “and to imagine if I _hadn’t_ replaced Hanabi...”

“I’m really not interested in your brat sister,” Hidan replied, snorting. Briefly, he wondered if they served food at this place. It’d been hours since lunch, and he was hungry.

The main room didn’t have many people in it, and none of them were eating; though there was a rowdy group near the fire, drinking. Sighing, he returned his attention to the girl in his arms and blinked.

For all her bluster, she hadn’t even tried to pull away from him, even while he blabbed about pain and sex. _Interesting_.

Hinata had her face turned from him, watching as a few newcomers entered. She must have felt his stare, because she glanced up at him, and frowned. “Yes?”

A beat passed, during which he contemplated all the things he _could_ say, and instead settled on, “I wanna know about you.”

Her expression blanked in shock before she tilted her head back to really look at him. “Why?”

Offering a shrug, he looked away. “I don’t know. Ain’t it natural or some shit? Seriously.”

He could feel her take a breath, and then let it out in a silent sigh. Then she was shrugging as well. “What would you like to know?”

“You like music?” he asked after a beat, catching sight of Tenten. She was speaking with a portly balding man near the stairs in the back of the room.

Hinata hummed. “Depends on who is creating the music,” she replied. “Or rather who it is played for perhaps. The musicians who visited, they sang different songs between my family and the servants.”

Blinking, he looked back down at her. “What do you mean?”

It took a moment or so before she answered. Blushing, Hinata spoke softly. “If I hadn’t been able to sneak down into the kitchens after bedtime, I’d never have known what a brothel was, never mind what went on in one.”

A leer took residence on the red-eyed man’s face, but he was fortunately prevented from responding by Tenten’s return. “Alright, we’ve got two rooms.” When Hidan opened his mouth, the brunette rolled her eyes. “Girls in one, you in the other, pervert.” The mouth closed, and pouted.

“That’s perfect,” Hinata said, oblivious to his expressions above her head. “Did we miss the evening meal?”

“Yeah, but the Innkeeper said that he can bring us some food for extra,” Tenten replied.

“Sounds good,” Hidan muttered. “Lead the way, then, oh mediator.”

The brunette rolled her eyes and turned away. “Idiot.”

xXx

When she was a child, a certain young blond friend would climb her roof, sit on her balcony, and tap on the iron and glass door until she talked to him. It could have been in the middle of the morning, it could be in the black of night. Naruto’s sense of time wasn’t _wrong_ , it was just skewed. And she never said no when he wanted to talk.

Her family had of course had issues with Naruto’s random and oft times inappropriate appearances, but after a few years with no hint of scandal, Lord Hiashi ignored the visits. At least officially.

So when the firm knock to her window woke her, Hinata blinked open her eyes and sat up with a rather nostalgic feeling. “Naruto-kun?” she whispered in disbelief. All she received in answer was another knuckle rap to the glass. Shooting a glance over to Tenten’s bed where the other girl was also blinking awake, the Hyuuga slipped from her covers and padded to the window.

She was four steps away from the glass before she turned right around to grab something more concealing than a night shift.

Naruto had seen her in all forms of dress, and even nude when they were but five or four. The albino standing half-gilded in moonlight had not. Small mercy that he was completely clothed.

When she finally pulled open the window, Hidan looked like he couldn’t be sure whether to pout or grin. “Did you call me _Naruto_?” he demanded immediately, frowning slightly up into her face.

Clutching the light blanket around her shoulders, Hinata refused to let her eyes wander away from his. “I did not.” Technically, she had questioned, not called...

“I have fucking awesome hearing,” he retorted, and shifted uncomfortably on his perch. “Can you move?” But he was smirking as he said it.

“Congratulations to you,” Hinata murmured, frowning now. “I _could_ move. But why?”

“Because I’m sitting on the edge of a fucking building, and someone’s going to goddamned notice, that’s why,” he answered, beginning to pout.

“Why do you care about other people?” Hinata asked, even as she stepped back from her window.

There was a thud from behind her, and a strangled, “ _Hina-_!” even as Hidan hefted his weight up, and swung inside, landing without a sound right before the Hyuuga. Both of them turned to watch Tenten finish falling—less gracefully than was normal for her—to the floor. Where she sprawled out and cursed a blue streak for the next ten seconds. “Why’d you let him in?!” she demanded, glaring up at them from the floor.

Hidan grinned. “Scared?”

Sighing, Hinata sat down on her bed. “If the locals arrested him, I would feel obligated to wait until he talked himself out of jail,” she said with a shrug. And... she just couldn’t stop the habit of letting in her night time visitors. Naruto had trained her well apparently.

“See? Least _someone_ has some fucking faith in me,” the foul-mouthed male grumbled.

With a groan, Tenten climbed to her feet and fixed her braid, then shook her head as she eyed them both. “You know, the longer I’m on this trip with you two, the more I feel like an underpaid chaperone.”

Hinata threw her pillow at her.

Tenten caught it and threw it... at Hidan, who—almost predictably—took it like a man. Once the pillow had dropped to the floor, they realized that this was because he was too busy grinning rather perversely. “This mean you two are gonna have a pillow fight or some shit? ‘Cause I am _seriously_ not gonna fucking stop you.”

“No, it does not,” Hinata answered. “What did you want anyway?” It had better be worth waking them up in the middle of the night. Both Tenten and Hinata were early risers.

His grin drooped a bit, and he crossed his arms, then uncrossed them, reached over and closed the window. “We gotta talk,” he said, glancing out it. He glanced around before snatching up a discarded towel, and pinning it over the glass with a couple knives pulled out of his... well, the front somewhere, at least.

Tenten frowned at his strange behavior, a little tense at the knives. “About _what_?”

“I think we’re being followed.”

Just like that. Tenten had to nearly shove her fist in her mouth to keep from immediately yelping _‘What_ ’, and instead glared poisonously at the pain-loving zealot.

He shrugged at her look, leaning back against the wall. “That being said, I woke you up so we can get moving.”

Holding up her hands, Hinata frowned. “Why do you think we’re being followed?” They had been following a fairly common route; she herself had seen a few faces that she recognized from the previous city.

Hidan shifted his focus to her, quiet for a beat, then sighed. “It’s a trick,” he said. “My crew and I used to use it to tell if we were alone. If someone was following us, then we’d know.”

“Yes, very descriptive,” Tenten shot back, with all the lack-of-good-humor of anyone woken at bumfuck in the morning.

Rolling his eyes, Hidan sneered at her. “Trade secret. Anyway, I know what I’m talking about, so just fucking _trust me_ already!”

 _Oh dear._ Her lips pressed into a thin line, Hinata walked out to stand between her two companions, palms held out in a bid for peace. “Shh... Calm down. Hidan,” she addressed the ex-con, “we’ll need a few minutes to dress. Can you wait for us in the hall?”

Frowning, Hidan gave Tenten a once over, as if trying to decide if he could trust her not to get killed by a stalker in the ten minutes it took women to dress. Then, he sighed and pushed away from the wall. “Make it quick,” he replied tersely, and stepped out.

Tenten stuck her tongue out at the door in a fit of childish pique. “Bastard.”

“Do you really believe him that unobservant, or just not as stupid as you think he is?” Hinata asked wryly. Darting one measuring look at the door, she bent down by Tenten’s ear and whispered, “Considering who he is, and who _I_ am, is it that unrealistic that someone would be following us?” Knowing the family and friends she left behind, Hinata could name two who would take it upon themselves to follow. The third wouldn’t be able to, though she was sure Hanabi would want to.

Sighing, her friend shook her head. “No,” she admitted. “His attitude just pisses me off. Can’t he just... augh, nevermind. Let’s get changed.” She shot a look toward the door, then the window—just in case Hidan was being a pervert (again)—before heading for her bags.

 _It’s going to be a long time until either of them get along_ , Hinata thought sadly. It was several minutes later, when she was following the taller girl out of the room that Hinata realized that _she_ didn’t _mind_ Hidan, despite his attitude or perverted tendencies. _Now what does that mean_?

xXx

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto, not me. Collaboration with Lost to the Hoping.


End file.
